Ceilings

Ceilings are an important part of design. In comparison to the other surfaces in a room, ceilings are often the least considered, but I would argue that they make or break a room. Ceilings aren't often noticed because of how well they either compliment the space or blend into the space. But if a ceiling doesn't match, it sticks out like a sore thumb. There are many different kinds of ceilings but knowing the main ones can be beneficial when selecting a style or design suitable for a room. 

Ceilings types are typically determined by the roof structure. Cathedral and sloped ceilings are often used to give a sense of openness to a room. This ceiling type is only practical in buildings that already have as slopped room. The ceiling material follows the shape of the roof. Directly applied ceilings is when the ceiling material is attached to the structure of the building. This is typically the case with multi-leveled residential buildings and cathedral ceilings. 


Another popular ceiling type is a suspended ceiling. There are a few different types of suspended ceilings but the most popular are ones that utilize acoustical-panels. These are typically used in commercial buildings and sometimes in basements that originally had an unfinished ceiling. The panels are easily replaceable and also provide some level of noise control to the space. This makes them ideal for office spaces because it helps control the noise of open cubicles and desks. 


The standard material for ceilings is drywall or gypsum board, but there is a variety of different materials that can be used. Plaster is sometimes used along with metal and plastic (typically molded) sheets or panels. Wood can be used as well to created a variety of different designs. Below are a few examples.



Iniala Beach House, Thailand
There is a series of luxury villas in Thailand that I think do an amazing job at incorporating the ceiling into the design of the space. The picture on the right shows one of the Iniala beach houses. The organic wood pattern flows up the wall and onto the ceiling. Not only does this provide acoustic properties to the room but it intrigues the eye of whoever walks into the room. Taking a closer look at the ceiling shows that the wall and ceiling flow into each other. There is no 90 degree angle, but rather they curve together. Because of the location of this villa, I believe that the ceiling is directly attached to the roof. The curved portion of the connection would be created by bending the wall/ceiling material. This can be done by scoring the back side of the material so that it bends seamlessly on the visible side. I really like this design and think it does an amazing job of joining the walls and ceiling into one cohesive design.


Shustov Brandy Bar, Ukraine
This bar in Ukraine used roughly 20,000 bottles to create a unique ceiling design for their lobby area. I think it's a stunning design that when broken down, is actually very simple. While the site I found didn't explain how the bottles were hung, I would imagine they were hung from a ceiling grid system attached to the structure. Attaching that many bottles directly to the structure would be fairly complicated and would not allow enough space for lighting to be placed between the bottles and the structure. 
I really love this design. It brings a warmth and comfort the space that I think it would be lacking if the bottles weren't there. It also connects the ceiling to the purpose of the space. The design isn't random, it fits with the theme and purpose of the space, to be a brandy bar. The bottles and wooden barrel tops (on the walls) emphasizes this in a way that ties the space together and makes it unique. 



Sources:
https://www.trendir.com/unique-ceiling-designs/
https://www.archdaily.com/508920/shustov-brandy-bar-studio-belenko






Comments

  1. Emmaline DaveyOctober 10, 2021 at 3:58 PM

    Kelly, I loved your examples that you gave from Ukraine and Thailand. I think you gave great information and knowledge about these two very different and unique ceiling finishes. They are not common ceiling styles and appreciated that you brought them into your blog. You also did a great job in summarizing the chapter.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Professor VanderNoordaaOctober 18, 2021 at 4:53 PM

    Kelly,
    Excellent summary of this chapter on ceilings and their design. Your choice of beautiful, innovative and practical ceiling design in the Iniala Beach Home as well as the Schutov Brandy Bar were exquisite. thank you for posting your sources! 50/50 points!

    ReplyDelete

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